Oddly-Named “iPhone Math” Could Be a 4.8-Inch iOS Model

It’s not just Sony that we’re looking to for a larger-than normal smartphone, and a new rumor suggests that Apple could be looking to follow up the growth spurt that brought the iPhone 5 a four-inch screen with another leap, this time moving up to a 4.8-inch display.

According to this theory, presented by the China Times, Apple isn’t just planning an iPhone 5S and some budget-priced version of the iPhone, but will also be introducing a third iPhone model this year. Supposedly, the 5S would arrive this June alongside a 4.8-inch iPhone, which the paper is calling the iPhone Math. Presumably that’s just a codename (or perhaps originated as a translation issue), because it doesn’t really jibe with the sort of Apple product names with which we’re already familiar.

Honestly, this is all a little hard to believe, especially in the absence of compelling (or any) evidence. It seems like Apple resisted moving up to a four-inch iPhone for as long as it possibly could, so another leap to 4.8 inches is hard to swallow. After all, Android devices in the 4.7-inch range were already quite popular when the iPhone 5 launched, and if Apple really wanted to have a device that looked like them, it feels like it would have just swallowed its pride back then and skipped the four-inch point entirely.

While we’re having trouble believing Apple would take this path, that’s not to say that we don’t like the sound of the idea, and having multiple iPhone models with different screen sizes could be a great move, really giving iOS users some new options.

Stephen has been writing about electronics since 2008, which only serves to frustrate him that he waited so long to combine his love of gadgets and his degree in writing. In his spare time, he collects console and arcade game hardware, is a motorcycle enthusiast, and enjoys trapping blue crabs. Stephen's first mobile device was a 624 MHz Dell Axim X30, which he's convinced is still a viable platform. Stephen longs for a market where phones are sold independently of service, and bandwidth is cheap and plentiful; he's not holding his breath. In the meantime, he devours smartphone news and tries to sort out the juicy bits Read more about Stephen Schenck!